How to Watch Ponyo on Netflix in the US with a VPN (2026)

Ponyo is currently available on Netflix in Australia. The official Netflix Australia page currently displays the movie normally and lists offline downloads as available.

Ponyo is not currently listed on Netflix US. Current US streaming listings show it on HBO Max instead. Private Internet Access, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN all currently provide Australian VPN locations.

Netflix can detect VPN connections, so connecting to Australia does not guarantee access. Netflix explains in its VPN guidance that VPN users may only see titles for which Netflix has worldwide licensing.

How to watch Ponyo on Netflix with a VPN

Connect to an Australian VPN location before opening Netflix, then check whether Ponyo appears in your catalog.

1. Choose a VPN. Private Internet Access is the first recommendation, followed by ExpressVPN and NordVPN.
2. Download and install the VPN app.
3. Connect to a server in Australia.
4. Fully close Netflix if it is already open.
5. Reopen Netflix after the VPN connects.
6. Sign in with your existing Netflix account.
7. Search for Ponyo.
8. Start playback if the title appears.

Australia was selected because the official Ponyo Netflix page currently shows the movie without an availability warning. PIA, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN also all provide Australian locations.

Best VPNs for watching Ponyo on Netflix

All three services below provide multiple Australian locations. Netflix may still identify the VPN connection, so none can guarantee that Ponyo will appear.

VPN	Australia locations	Option to try first
Private Internet Access	Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Australia Streaming Optimized	Australia Streaming Optimized
ExpressVPN	Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Sydney 2	Sydney
NordVPN	Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney	Sydney or automatic Australia connection

1. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access currently offers Australian locations in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. Its current PIA server list also includes Australia Streaming Optimized.

Try Australia Streaming Optimized first because PIA specifically provides it as a streaming-focused Australian location. If Netflix does not show Ponyo, try Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, or Perth.

PIA says most of its locations place the physical server and registered IP address in the same country. It separately documents locations where the physical server is elsewhere. Australia is not identified as one of those virtual-country arrangements.

PIA also recommends reconnecting to another server and clearing browser cookies and cache when a streaming service has connection problems. These steps can help, but Netflix access is not guaranteed.

2. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN currently provides Australian locations in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Sydney 2. You can see the current choices on its server location page.

Sydney is a practical location to try first. Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney are also among ExpressVPN’s locations with upgraded 40 Gbps server infrastructure.

If Sydney does not work, switch to Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, or Sydney 2 before reopening Netflix.

ExpressVPN’s current virtual server list does not include Australia. ExpressVPN says locations absent from that list have their physical servers within the specified country.

Changing Australian servers may give you a different IP address, but ExpressVPN cannot guarantee access to Ponyo because Netflix can recognize VPN connections.

3. NordVPN

NordVPN currently operates 229 servers in Australia across five cities: Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. You can confirm the current network on its Australia server page.

You can select Australia and let NordVPN automatically choose a server. If you want to choose a city manually, Sydney is a reasonable first option, followed by Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, or Perth.

NordVPN also includes SmartPlay in its apps. SmartPlay activates automatically when you connect to a NordVPN server, so you do not need to enable it separately.

SmartPlay can assist with streaming connections, but it does not guarantee access to a particular Netflix catalog or title.

What to do if Ponyo does not appear

If Netflix still shows the US catalog or Ponyo does not appear, reconnect before testing the title again.

1. Close Netflix completely.
2. Disconnect from the VPN.
3. Reconnect to Australia.
4. Try another server or location in the same country.
5. Clear Netflix cookies and your browser cache.
6. Open a private or incognito browser window.
7. Reopen Netflix and sign in again.
8. Search for Ponyo.

PIA users can start with Australia Streaming Optimized, then try Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, or Perth. ExpressVPN users can switch between Sydney, Sydney 2, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. NordVPN users can try Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, or Perth.

Netflix may detect the VPN

A VPN changes the public IP address that Netflix sees. An Australian VPN connection can therefore make your connection use an Australian IP address.

However, Netflix does not guarantee access to the Australian catalog when you use a VPN. Netflix says VPN users may only see movies and shows for which it has worldwide licensing.

Netflix can also display an error telling you that it detected a VPN or proxy. Its VPN troubleshooting page recommends turning the VPN off if the problem continues.

Trying another Australian server can give you another IP address and may change the result, but no VPN can guarantee Netflix access.

Can you use a Netflix ad-supported plan with a VPN?

No. Netflix currently states that VPN connections are not supported when you use its ad-supported experience.

Netflix may show an error and ask you to disconnect the VPN. Its current policy also says VPNs are not supported for watching live events.

Does changing the VPN location change your Netflix account?

No. Connecting to an Australian VPN location does not change your Netflix email, password, profiles, or existing account credentials.

The VPN changes the IP location visible to internet services. It does not permanently change the country registered to your Netflix account.

Netflix says each country can have a different catalog. Your normal Netflix credentials remain the same when your apparent internet location changes.

Which VPN should you use?

Private Internet Access is the first option to try because it currently offers an Australia Streaming Optimized location plus servers in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

ExpressVPN provides six selectable Australian locations, while NordVPN currently operates 229 Australian servers across five cities. Both give you several alternatives if Netflix does not work with the first IP address you receive.

Ponyo is currently verified on Netflix Australia, while current US streaming listings do not show it on Netflix US. Netflix catalogs and VPN detection can change, so an Australian VPN connection does not guarantee continued access.